Thousands of KitchenAid electric kettles are recalled due to burn risk

Whirlpool has issued a recall of KitchenAid brand electric kettles sold between September 2013 through February 2018 due to burn risk.

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Feb. 22, 2018, 8:40 PM GMT / Source: TODAY

By Megan O. Steintrager

If you purchased a KitchenAid electric kettle anytime between September 2013 through February 2018, your unit may be subject to a recall because it poses a serious burn risk.

On Feb. 20, appliance manufacturer Whirlpool issued a recall of more than 40,000 kettles sold in the U.S., as well as more than 47,00 units sold in Canada and 1,600 in Mexico, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The KitchenAid kettles that have been recalled come in several colors.Whirlpool Corporation

The risk stems from a faulty handle, which "can loosen and separate from the kettle, causing hot contents to spill, posing a burn hazard," according to the recall notice posted by the CPSC. So far, Whirlpool Corporation has received 79 reports in the U.S. and 19 in Canada of handles separating, as well as four total reports of minor burn injuries.

To find out if your kettle is part of the recall, you can search for it by model and serial number on the Whirlpool website.

If your unit is among those recalled, you should stop using it immediately and contact Whirlpool for a free replacement. Kettle owners may request the replacement device via the Whirlpool website or by calling 800-874-0608. A representative for Whirlpool told TODAY Food that affected customers may receive their replacement kettle in as little as five business days after contacting the company but, if a specific color is out of stock, it may take up to three weeks.

However, the number of KitchenAid kettles recalled is small when compared to at least one other recent kitchen appliance recall: At the end of 2016, Cuisinart issued a recall of 8 million food processors after numerous reports of blades breaking off.

And two major blender makers — Vitamix and NutriBullet — have recently faced lawsuits over allegedly faulty products, though no formal recalls have been filed by either company.

If you're worried about your kitchen appliances, you can always check the Consumer Product Safety Commission website, or Recalls.gov, to learn about other recalls. Consumer Reports also has a roundup of the biggest home and appliance recalls of 2017. You can also help protect yourself by registering new products when you buy them so the manufacturer can contact you diretly if the product is affected by a recall in the future.